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Lodwick Locks Career 20th U.S. Championship

Todd Lodwick crosses the finish line first after making up a minute and seven second deficit to secure his career 20th U.S. Championship title in Park City, UT. (Sarah Brunson/USSA)

PARK CITY, UT (Aug. 4) – U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team veteran Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) locked up his career 20th U.S. Championship title as he came from behind to take the win under blistering heat at the 2013 U.S. Nordic Combined Championships in Park City, UT. After landing eighth in the jump, Lodwick made up a deficit of a minute and seven seconds to take the win while skiing the fastest cross country race. He was joined on the podium by teammates Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO) and Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO).

HIGHLIGHTS

Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) won his career 20th U.S. Championship title at the 2013 U.S. Nordic Combined Championships.

Lodwick's first U.S. Champs title was in Steamboat Springs in 1994.

Racers managed to keep pace under extreme heat in the Utah summer.

Defending U.S. Champion, Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY) got tangled with teammates around a corner and fell, losing time to keep him in contention.

U.S. Nordic Combined Championships took place in the summer for the fifth straight year.

QUOTESTodd LodwickThis win is huge. For me it's a benchmark. I won my first U.S. Championship in 1994 and to be U.S. Champ 18 years later is humbling. I'm very fortunate to be doing what I'm doing and have the support system that I have through teammates and coaches and the people around me. I've got a lot of training still to do but this is a lot of motivation going into the winter.

I was really disappointed on the jump hill. It's been a hard week for me on the jump hill and trying to be on top in both sports. I hold myself to a high standard just like my teammates do and for me I was disappointed after the jump. It's not me on the jump hill. I had to rely extremely heavily on my cross country and the training that I've been putting into it to even have a chance to get close to the front group. I put myself at a huge deficit [after the jump] and I'm really excited to be able to pull through in the cross country.

When I started I could still see the chase group going out of site. I knew not to stress out in the first lap and to rely on technique and rely on knowing that I'm going to catch them slowly and then attack at a certain time and catch the group and then be able to rest.

Dave Jarrett, U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team Head CoachIt was an exciting race. I was surprised that Todd caught up so quickly, but he was strong in Sochi, Russia and is showing that he's in good shape right now. Todd and Billy [Demong] got in an little entanglement on the course which may or may not have changed the outcome for Todd but for sure it did for Billy and that's unfortunate, but "rubbing is racing" and it's going to happen. I was psyched with the way everyone raced under the hot conditions. Thanks to the Utah Olympic Park and Soldier Hollow for providing great venues for the competition.